You Think So
by JennieJoy72
Summary: New York is getting hotter


**Disclaimer: I do not own SMK, but I do enjoy the time I spend here, I hope you do as well.**

**You Think So?**

Lee, Constance, and her guard Mitchell stood in the lobby as Katie came walking down the stairs with her nanny. Lee could feel his heart slow down and the air stop in his lungs as the girl with sandy hair and hazel eyes descended the stairs smiling a half crooked grin with charming dimples.

Turning to Constance Lee asked under his breath, "Is _she_ my daughter?"

The look in her eyes was all the confirmation Lee needed and then she said, "I think so."

"Oh my gosh!"

Lee stood dumfounded as the words _I think so_ continued to repeat in his head over and over.

"Katie, this is Lee Stetson he is charge of your security while we are in New York. I want you to listen to him."

"I always do mom." She said in what Lee could only describe as a small Francine snarky tone.

The four went to leave and Lee noticed the tiny limo driver waiting by the door.

"Are you ready, Mrs. Amille?"

"Yes, Veronica we are going to dinner and then the movies." She gave the locations to the driver as they climbed in the back of the limo.

"So lame." Katie said as she got in and Lee asked, "What is so lame?"

"Going for pizza and a movie in a limo; it isn't like it is a restaurant opening or a movie debut. I mean really, my mom is over the top."

"I don't like cabs." Constance said in her defense.

"Since when? If I remember correctly cabs were the only ways to travel in the city." Lee reminded her.

Dinner was at a wonderful pizzeria and the three older companions talked of the city and how it had changed over the years and what was on the agenda for the next three weeks.

"What's the plan for tomorrow?" Lee asked.

Constance answered, "We have doctor appointments in the morning at 8:00 and then you and Katie can go sightseeing or shopping, school will be starting not long after we finish up here and then we will be going to the theatre for a show and then dinner."

"I don't see why I just can't have my school physical when I get home before school. Why do I have to get it done now in New York?"

"I have already explained that after we leave New York we have the cruise and we won't get home in time to get it done. It is while we are in New York or you can't start school."

"I'm all for that, can't I just be home schooled for high school?"

"No now eat your dinner. Don't think I don't see you just pushing your food around. You are not fat so you need to just eat." Constance voice was stiff and Lee could hear the tension in it. He also noticed that Mitchell patted Constance's hand under the table and realized at once the gesture as one Amanda did to him to help him calm him down.

"Katie, what kind of shopping do you want to do tomorrow?"

Katie looked at Lee and rolled her eyes but answered when Lee sat and continued to stare her down, "I don't know the regular places."

At least it was an answer he thought to himself.

"Okay. Why don't you make a list of things you want to do while in New York and give it to me over breakfast then I can make a plan to do as much as we can while you are here. The list doesn't have to be just for tomorrow."

"I don't eat breakfast, I don't like it. I usually just have tea."

"I know the feeling until recently coffee is my choice of breakfast, so if you don't eat breakfast then I guess that only leaves lunch and dinner and by then our day is going to be over so while I drink my coffee and you drink your tea we can see what the choices of the city we have for tomorrow."

Katie looked at this man in disbelief. He wasn't giving her a lecture about eating like every other person on the planet.

"Okay Mr. Stetson I can do that."

"Great better finish up if you aren't done the movie will be starting soon." Then Lee took his pizza and folded it and took a big bite and then took a big drink of his beer.

Constance and Mitchell sat and watched as Katie without thinking mimic Lee's eating and drinking pattern even down to the rubbing of the belly and exhausted breath to indicate how full they were. Constance just stared in amazement; she hadn't gotten Katie to eat anything in two days.

At the movie Lee ordered the large popcorn and asked Katie if she wanted to share because he hadn't meant to get the large and she agreed without hesitation. Mitchell looked at Constance and just smiled and then under his breath said, "I thought you said Lee didn't know anything about children." Constance shrugged her shoulders and just followed them into the movie.

Back at the hotel Lee did a sweep of Katie's room which he learned was adjoined to his, "so Katie if you need anything I am right here on the other side of this door."

"Thanks I know the drill but why you mom usually has a female agent for my detail."

"I was available I guess. I knew your mom a long time ago and I guess I did a good job. It is hard to say why I got this assignment, but it won't be too bad will it?"

"Just the doctors; I hate needles, Mr. Stetson and they always want to take half of my blood supply."

"Not half but it does seems like it. I know I don't like needles or doctors either but I have this friend that will usually help me through it."

"I still don't like it."

"You don't have to like it you just have to get it over with and then you get to the fun things. I will see you in the morning; make your lists please."

"Okay, goodnight Lee."

Lee went back to his room and found Constance sitting at the table and he asked, "How did you get in here?" His voice was more strained than when he was just speaking with Katie and he really didn't want her in his room.

"I thought you might want to talk about earlier."

"What did you mean by _you think so_ that she is my daughter I mean come on, Constance? If you thought she was my daughter why would you keep it from me?"

"Maybe it is just wishful thinking. She does have features that resemble you. Other things are like you as well, she is left handed, hot headed, quick to assume things, hates doctors and breakfast with an inner passion I don't understand."

"That doesn't make her mine and I am not hot headed." Lee snapped out.

"Lee if this is you not being a hot head, well then you suck at it my friend. The appointment tomorrow is for you as well, I want a blood test done to be sure. I thought you would like to know as well; the only thing is we won't know for six weeks."

"Six weeks Constance what in the hell do I tell _my wife_ for six weeks, hell I can't even talk to her for three weeks as it is now."

"I am sorry, but like I said my concern is only for my daughter. Conrad cannot get to her; if he does I will never see her again. She is the only thing that ties us together, but if she isn't his then he has nothing."

"What happened in your marriage?" Lee poured them a drink and sat down across her to listen.

"It started the night he arrived in New York, you know, when we had plans to skip dinner after the play we went to. I don't know how he knew, but he said my days of sleeping around were over and he hoped I got my wild oats taken care of with you. Then to make his point he began to whip me with his belt across my back. I told him my father wouldn't stand for it and he told me his father told him how to put me back in line. At dinner that night when my father asked Conrad if everything had been taken care of and things understood I knew Conrad was right."

Lee stood and got the tissue box from the bed and handed them to her. Placing his hands over her free hand he rubbed the back of her hand to comfort her.

"Conrad and my father went to discuss some business and I called the Agency to tell them your services were no longer needed. I knew I wouldn't be able to lie to you and if I couldn't tell well then you couldn't help and if you couldn't help you might as well have gone back to help other people."

"You didn't think you could tell me? After those three weeks together you didn't trust me?"

"Lee, I trusted you, hell you were my first. I loved you after that first day of sightseeing I just knew that I wouldn't be allowed to love you so I took what I could. Two months in your life and three weeks of that I was in your arms at night, I thought life was perfect. You would listen to me and what I wanted and then Conrad showed up and my life for the next few years was a nightmare. We were married and went to London and I was working in fashion, I found out I was pregnant; I didn't even want to know how far along. I didn't even tell Conrad until I was so far along it didn't matter any longer. It didn't stop the beatings. He was good; he never hit my stomach or leave any marks to where they could be seen."

Lee clinched his fists in anger all he wanted to do at that moment was to find Conrad and show him what it meant to be beaten. He may have been a womanizer and a cad but he never ever hit a woman…wait that isn't right, he had slapped Amanda that one time. His gut clenched at the memory.

"Lee, after I got the nerve to leave with Katie she was still small enough to have a few memories of how Conrad was, but I had nowhere to go. I knew that if I went to my father he would tell me to suck it up and go back to my husband, but I was so afraid. I came back to the states and stayed in fashion and raised Katie as best I could. Even after the divorce there were times I had to let Katie go with him and then finally Katie just stopped going. I asked her if Conrad had hurt her and she just said that there was no way she was the daughter of someone like that and refused to go. When he tried to have the court involved she was only eight and she looked the judge in the eye and said she never wanted to see Conrad anymore and if the judge said she was going to say she had to see Conrad then she would run away and no one would ever see her again. My father was in the courtroom that day and he must have found some kind of religion, he took me and Katie home with him and Conrad was ordered to stay away from me and Katie. Conrad has offices here and I am scared with the benefit he will try something. Protect my daughter; even if she isn't yours please protect her like she is yours."

Lee just nodded and said, "I have to make some calls before going to bed, we have a long day tomorrow; especially if we are having blood tests done tomorrow."

She stood and gave him a hug before leaving. "You know, Lee, you have every right to be mad at me and I will understand if you do, but if she is please know I never meant to hurt either one of you."

"Goodnight, we will worry about that in six weeks."

Lee went and brushed his teeth and got ready for bed, while lying there he picked up the phone and called Francine to check in and let her in on his actual assignment.

"You mean it is for her daughter not her?"

"Yes, could you please let Amanda know that in the morning?"

"Yes, Lee I will; anything there that may seem like a potential threat?"

"Her ex-husband might try to take her daughter. I want people on him and his movements and reports to me with copies to you and Billy."

"What about Dr. Smyth?"

"You don't want to know my answer to that question at the moment. I have to go. Thanks Francine."

The next number he dialed slowly and he wondered if she would answer. Then the voice he wanted to most hear was luckily the one who had answered, "Hello."

Silence was the only response she had gotten.

"Hello, who is this?" She asked and then after a few more minutes of silence she said with a smile on her face, "I am fine, goodnight, sweetheart. I love you." Then she hung up the receiver and went to sleep. Lee put the receiver down and wiped the tears from his eyes and silently prayed that he never knew what it was like not to have her in his life.

**8:20 A.M.**

"NO, GET THAT AWAY FROM ME!" Katie screamed as the nurse came toward her to draw the blood and Lee and Constance ran into the room.

Katie's mother said, "Katie you know this is part of it. Come on it will be over soon and then the sooner you get to leave."

Lee saw the tears and the physical shaking Katie was displaying in her fear he said calmly, "Katie, here take my hand and look into my eyes." That is what Amanda always tells him. "Watch, I will let them take my blood and then you can see it will be fine and then you can have yours drawn."

Katie watched and squeezed Lee's hand so tight he thought she would break it. Lee never took his eyes off of hers as his blood was drawn and that also made Katie never notice as they labeled his blood work as the nurse set it on the counter.

"Now it is your turn, just look into my eyes the whole time Katie and listen to my voice. Remember my partner I told you about last night?"

Katie nodded.

"Well she has two sons about your age and their birthdays are kind of close and I thought you might help me get their birthday presents while we go shopping today. Would you like that?"

"I don't know what boys like."

"I bet you will have some great ideas once I tell you more about them. See all done Katie."

Katie looked up and saw the four tubes of blood on the table and then she asked, "Are we done?"

"Yes, sweetheart, we are. I am so sorry you had to go through that." Constance said as she gave her daughter a hug and began to walk her out. Lee hung back a minute and asked the nurse if there were any way to rush the results faster than six weeks.

"I think the earliest the lab could have them back in in three maybe four weeks on a rush. This is not a simple test."

"Tell them to put a rush on this one then please."

"Yes, Agent Stetson, I will let the lab know this is a rush sample."

Rubbing his hands together he looked at Mitchell and Constance and said, "Okay you two go do what you have to I have a date with Katie today for some mega shopping and sightseeing. My lady, are you ready?" Lee offered her his arm and they began to walk down the street together laughing and Constance could have sworn she heard her daughter laugh.

"What if he isn't her father?" Mitchell asked.

"Then maybe you could step up and stop playing games with me. I am too old for that." Constance turned and got into the awaiting limo to go back to the hotel to go over preparations for benefit.


End file.
